Caytlin Willis (12) of Westside attempts a kill shot in the third set of a high school volleyball match between the Westside Wolves and the Carnegie Vanguard Rhinos on October 20, 2018 at Delmar Fieldhouse, Houston, TX.

Caytlin Willis (12) of Westside attempts a kill shot in the third set of a high school volleyball match between the Westside Wolves and the Carnegie Vanguard Rhinos on October 20, 2018 at Delmar Fieldhouse,

Caytlin Willis (12) of Westside attempts a kill shot in the third set of a high school volleyball match between the Westside Wolves and the Carnegie Vanguard Rhinos on October 20, 2018 at Delmar Fieldhouse, Houston, TX.

Caytlin Willis (12) of Westside attempts a kill shot in the third set of a high school volleyball match between the Westside Wolves and the Carnegie Vanguard Rhinos on October 20, 2018 at Delmar Fieldhouse,

Houston ISD produced another undefeated district champion at the Class 6A level. For the first time in five years, it was not Bellaire.

Westside entered the final match of the regular season looking to complete a perfect run through a competitive District 18-6A. The Wolves officially clinched their first league crown since 2013 with an Oct. 16 victory against Chavez. They followed with a sweep of playoff-bound Carnegie Vanguard.

Westside is back on top in HISD’s largest district. But the Wolves have more significant achievements in mind.

“It’s honestly a small goal for us this year,” junior Kylah Carter said. “We want to go far into the playoffs, so this was just a minor focus. We were supposed to do this.”

Westside looks to continue a remarkable season that included a 28-4 overall record after the Oct. 20 victory against Carnegie Vanguard. The Wolves will likely open the postseason against Cypress Creek, seeking their first playoff win since defeating Seven Lakes in five sets in 2012.

“Our team is full of seniors, so the whole focus of the game was this is just the first stepping stone,” senior Maiya Pena said. “We look and this and we’re not stopping here.”

The Wolves have an skilled and experienced roster of primarily seniors, many of whom contributed to the Oct. 20 win at Delmar Field House. Carter, a co-captain, led the offense with 16 kills, adding four aces. Shaska Davis turned in 11 kills and three aces, while Pena provided the middle attack with 10 kills.

Senior setter Mallori Sims ran an effective, balanced offense that included three kills from Alicia Coppedge. Seniors Nicole Sagarra and Bailee Jackson led a strong back row defense, with co-captain Caytlin Willis contributing at the net.

While the team acknowledged there was room for improvement, it was the type of performance the Wolves have produced much of the season, playing at a level three or four years in the making.

“This group, they started off together their freshmen year,” Carter said. “I came the next year. We have this close bond and that just helps us play together with our skill. It adds to our intensity on the court.”

Among their signs of progress, the Wolves earned a season sweep of rival Bellaire, which entered the final match of the regular season as the likely No. 2 playoff seed at 10-3. Westside defeated the Cardinals last year in what was rescheduled as a non-district game due to Hurricane Harvey. HISD teams were only able to complete one district round.

Bellaire twice went to five sets against rival Lamar, winning the first meeting Sept. 7. But an improving Texans squad took the Oct. 6 rematch, making a bit of history.

“When I talked to (Bellaire coach A.P.) Clarke later, she said no Lamar team ever beat her,” Lamar coach Doug Jackson said. “So taking that into her perspective, that was a big win for the program. Before that time, we played them four other times and took them to five games twice. So we’ve been knocking on the door. Just the right circumstances happened.”

The Texans, who are 25-8 overall, took a 9-4 mark into the regular season finale after an Oct. 20 sweep of Heights at Delmar. Their successful season includes Gold Bracket appearances at the Dickinson (runner-up) and Santa Fe tournaments, earning a win against Westside in the latter.

Bria Mayes led the offense against the Bulldogs 13 kills, hitting .545, with Amanda Planck adding nine kills and a .563 percentage. Kirsty Leech posted 26 assists, along with six aces and eight digs. Brianna Johnson led the back defense with 11 digs, also serving four aces. Kennedy Smith added six kills, hitting .750.

Leech, Mayes, Johnson and Smith have been on varsity together for all three years Jackson has coached the team. The Texans have seven seniors, including defensive specialist Kaitlyn Guillory (75 digs). Junior Jackie Arellano (120 digs, 24 aces, 72 assists) and sophomore Liliana McInnis (95 digs, 21 aces) are among the season statistical leaders.

Lamar was tied for third place with Carnegie entering the final 18-6A match, taking the No. 3 seed unless the Rhinos upset Bellaire.

While the top four teams in 18-6A are playoff regulars, coaches and players have noticed a higher level of competition at the top.

“We know as coaches we’re only going to get better as the district gets stronger and pushes us week in and week out, where to win you’ve got to be at the top of your game,” Jackson said.

The Rhinos pushed Westside a bit in their Oct. 20 match, playing within 25-22, 25-19, 25-19. The first two sets, in particular, were crisp with many more points on kills than errors.

“They get better every single time we play them, so every time we play our game,” Pena said. “We’re playing ourselves. We don’t worry about what’s on the other side. Yes, they worked us, but we just try to work even harder.”

The Rhinos will make their seventh straight playoff appearance, led by a strong hitting tandem in Li Bahler and Gierra Cottingham, who combined for 18 kills and three aces against Westside. Middle blocker Allie Rossmiller added five blocks and three kills, with Anna-Katia Batoum-Bassong and Kemi Airewele combining for four kills and four blocks.

Setter Mekenzie Primm directs the offense, while Carolina Macias serves as libero for a Carnegie Vanguard squad that has proven capable of trading points with the best.

“We have a great hitting team,” Rhinos coach Miyuki Terry said. “We’re great defensively. We’re a younger team. They’re the No. 1 team in the district and they’re undefeated, so I think we played them very well.”